The young barkeep placed a tankard down on the table in front of Cicero and nodded. Its contents splashed over the side releasing the strong stench of alcohol.
"What is it?" Cicero asked in a nasally tone as he curled his lip.
"Vekel here makes it 'imself," another man with a thick accent said as he took a seat across from him, "He also cleans wiff it. But It'll always cure what ails yeh,"
Cicero cautiously peered inside the cup. The liquid was as clear as water. He hesitated for a long moment before holding his breath and lifting it to take a sip. The strange drink burned his tongue something awful, but he quickly swallowed it anyway.
"Nope," Cicero choked and dry heaved, pushing the beverage away, "I'll pass."
"Good for me," the man smiled and grabbed the drink for himself. Cicero watched as he chugged it with curious ease. He was a middle-aged Breton; bald and rather stocky. Something about him seemed vaguely familiar.
"Have you ever paid for your own drink?" a petite blonde Imperial sighed as she strolled past and took a seat at a nearby table.
"Oi," the Breton called over his shoulder, slamming the tankard down, "Mind yer own wax. A good thief pays fer nothin'." He extended his hand across the table toward Cicero, "Name's Delvin. Don't mind the peach with the sharp tongue. Vex is a sour one, that."
"Cicero," he replied and casually shook Delvin's hand.
"Wos that the boss come waltzin' through 'ere just now?"
"Boss? Jade- Yes, Miss Jade," Cicero mumbled, still trying to place where he knew this guy from.
"Didn't think we'd see that fine ass around 'ere again."
"Excuse me?"
"She'd moved on to darker things, if yeh know what I mean..." he nodded to Cicero's armor.
"Darker..." Cicero squinted one eye as the taste of the rancid alcohol continued to tingle in the back of his throat.
"She took over from Astrid in the Brotherhood," Delvin leaned his elbow on the table and glanced back toward the entrance where Jade had left through a few minutes earlier. Cicero remained silent.
"I miss that piece o' work. Good woman, she was. Rest in peace."
"Wait, you miss Astrid?"
"Yeah. What a mess that wos. I hope the same fate don't befall that saucy Dragonborn, eh? Not a lot o' sexy feminine Nords out there, in my opinion. Rather not lose another."
"Astrid was a fraud and a traitor," Cicero couldn't hold back. He hadn't spoken of her in several months and would rather forget the whole thing, but to hear someone speak so highly of that betrayer made him furious.
Delvin's eyes widened and he finally really looked at Cicero. He was starting to recognize him as well. "And who are you, now? Cicero ye say?" he asked, straightening his posture in his chair.
"That woman denied the word of the Night Mother and used the name of the Dark Brotherhood to line her own pockets. She betrayed the Dragonborn and the Dread Father... She deserved her fate."
Delvin was surprised to see this stranger responding so passionately. Clearly, the topic had hit a sore spot for him. Then, it started coming together.
"Ah... that's how I know your face... you're that clown that up'n burned the place down, right?"
Cicero gasped, "I did no such thing!"
"Yer arrival single-handedly brought down the entire sanctuary."
"And rightfully so! The whole group was a farce! A joke that even I couldn't fathom!" Cicero stood up as his blood pressure rose.
"Calm down, brother," Delvin leaned back in his chair passively, "We're all friends 'ere."
Cicero glanced over at Vex seeing that she had her dagger drawn. He looked back down at Delvin who had a calm cool air about him.
"I'm not part of your lil dark family," Delvin said, "I don't know the qualms and I don't care. It's just a shame she turned out to be such a flaming bitch, eh?" he chuckled.
"...Literally," Cicero mumbled and sat back down.
Delvin laughed at that. Vex grunted and put her blade away.
Cicero took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why he'd gotten so triggered by Delvin's admiration of Astrid. Perhaps it was some sort of pent-up rage he'd not processed yet.
"So you Lady Jade's new lapdog?"
"Huh?"
"Ye know, her companion. The one she drags around by the dick to get what she wants?"
"I-..." he wasn't sure how to reply.
"Heh, I wish she'd jerk me around by the dick..." he lifted his eyes to Cicero, "Don't worry about it, kid. You're not the first. You won't be the last neither," Delvin paused as Vekel the barkeep placed another drink in front of him, "Before you, it was some pompous Imperial mage. A brat, he was. Poor bastard was found dead in an ally a short while back. A single stab wound to the spine," he sipped his drink and smacked his lips, "If that's not a Brotherhood kill, I don't know what is."
Cicero began to feel warm. His skin was almost crawling.
"Wouldn't be surprised if she hired the hit, herself. Probably got tired of 'em. She goes through men like a fashion statement. Tries one on then tosses 'em out. I'm surprised she can still find anyone to chase her in these parts. Most men know teh keep their hands to 'emselves, lest they lose 'em... or their lives." Delvin continued to stare at Cicero. He could tell that something was brewing in his head, "You haven't slept with 'er yet, have yeh?"
Cicero was feeling ill. A strange emptiness grew inside his gut. It felt like a deep hunger. His ears felt hot.
"The boss is a nice catch, but she'll eat yeh alive. I'd run if I were you," Delvin winked and sipped his drink again.
The Ebony Blade on Cicero's back felt like it was burning a hole through him. He trembled a little as he realized that the urge that was building inside of him wasn't just rage, but blood lust. The rationalization that he was disposable and that Jade was possibly using him made his eye twitch.
There was more to Jade than that. To just write her off as some cold-hearted slut was just as fucked as writing him off as just some obnoxiously mad clown! She didn't think of him as merely a follower. She wore a facade, just as he did. She said and did things just to make herself appear heartless and powerful... right? Jade had an image to uphold. They were bound together for life through the word of Sithis... and the promise of family. Jade would never-
"Oi, you okay?" Delvin asked after noticing Cicero's eyes glaze over.
Was he okay? That was the second time someone asked him that today. Well... was he?
Cicero heard Vex unsheathe her dagger again and start screaming in a muffled tone. He couldn't understand what she was saying. He felt like his blood was literally boiling in his veins. His fingertips trembled around the hilt of the Ebony Blade as he slowly pulled it from the nasal cavity of the Breton once known as Delvin. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Cicero's hands dripped with blood and his surroundings gradually came back into focus. The screaming finally became clear. She was calling for help.
Cicero gasped and choked as the energy pulled from his victim and charged through his body. He was kneeling on the table, unsure of how and when he had leaped across it. Delvin's body rolled off of the chair onto the floor as another guild member, a large tavern bouncer, sprinted around the corner with his weapon drawn.
"Jade's companion!" Vex shouted, "He's... he's fucking mad!"
Cicero slid off of the table and flicked the blade with his wrist to remove the blood. Without even thinking, he charged toward the much larger man in a long intimidating stride, glowering at him from under his furrowed brow while panting through his teeth.
The bouncer swore under his breath and returned charge with his weapon raised. Cicero swiftly dipped down as the sword flew past his head and in one seamless gesture, he twisted his blade up cutting clean through the man's wrists.
"Dirge!!" Vex shrieked in terror as she watched the severed hands fall to the ground with a loud wet thwap, his sword still gripped in one.
Dirge stumbled backward in shock. His eyes stared blankly into space for a long moment as if seconds from collapsing to his death... when he smiled. His naturally deep and gravelly voice sounded inhuman as he began to laugh hysterically. Vex watched the surreal scene in sheer horror.
"Well?" Cicero crowed as he turned to her, "You wanted him to give you a hand! Now you can have them both!"
Knowing her dagger wouldn't be enough against a long blade, Vex frantically scooped up the bouncer's sword. Cicero took a few steps back to give her the chance while watching patiently. He smiled so wide his lips began to bleed. Dirge's unnatural laugh quickly became weak and labored as his blood loss caught up to him. He staggered back against the bar, his body stumbling on impact before sliding to the floor in silence.
"Brynjolf!!" Vex wailed, holding out the sword as she continued to shuffle around defensively, "Rune!!"
"I'm not going to hurt you," Cicero said in an eerily quiet voice, "Cicero just wants to make you laugh... don't you like to laugh?"
"Brynjolf! Help!! Please!!" she shrieked. Her hands trembled so much that the sword wobbled in her grip.
"Oh, good idea!" Cicero took a step toward her, "The more the merrier as they say!" He began to skip a little and caper in place, humming a little tune as he gestured the Ebony Blade at her.
Tears streamed down Vex's face. No one could hear her screams. No one was coming. Who was this guy...? Why was he doing this? What did he want?
Cicero spun around as he danced and suddenly lurched toward her before she could even react, extending the blade into her chest. Her crying instantly stopped and her weapon fell from her hands. She gasped and sputtered through her clenched teeth as a forced smile rolled across her lips.
"That's better..." Cicero cooed and slowly pushed her against the edge of a table, pressing the sword deeper.
Vex chuckled, emphatically leaning into the blade as her eyes rolled back into her head. Cicero twisted the weapon sharply and she instantly fell limp. He lowered his arm under the dead weight and watched her body slide off and onto the floor.
Cicero closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a long moment. As the life energy from Vex absorbed into his veins, the hunger inside him felt satisfied. His extremities tingled as he was submerged in an almost orgasmic pleasure throughout his entire body.
The clank of a broom hitting the floor caught his attention. Cicero opened his eyes and glanced back at the bar. Vekel the barkeep slowly stood up from behind the counter. They both remained silent, staring at one another for several moments before Vekel suddenly turned and sprinted down the corridor back toward the cistern. He was going to warn the others.
Cicero finally exhaled and sheathed his blade to look at the blood on his shaking hands. He felt lightheaded and slightly confused as his mind gradually began to return. The rush was just as good as he had remembered, but this time he felt like he had more control throughout the process. Perhaps the Ebony Blade was bonding with him. Perhaps he was stronger than he thought... But one thing was for sure, Mother mustn't know of this.
He wiped his hands on his thighs, momentarily glancing back down at his helpless victims. They had done nothing to deserve such a cruel fate, but somehow he felt no remorse. If anything, he worried how this could affect the Brotherhood's relationship with the Guild. Cicero considered going after the terrified barkeep and silencing him, but the risk of running into the rest of the guild was way too high. He had enough literal blood on his hands.
The others were on their way. It was time to go find Jade and attempt to make an alibi... for what it's worth.